BERRYVILLE, Ark. – Officials with the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) announced that Apex Tactical Specialties has signed on as a major sponsor of the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals taking place November 14-16, 2013.

Apex joins the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Smith & Wesson, the title sponsor, in supporting this latest IDPA national championship event. As part of their support Apex will sponsor one of the 13 stages in the competition.

“We’re very pleased to once again have the support of Apex Tactical Specialties. This season Apex has generously sponsored a number of IDPA matches, and as a charter sponsor of the new Back Up Gun Nationals they are continuing their strong commitment to IDPA,” said Robert Ray, membership and marketing director for IDPA.

“We are proud to support IDPA and its newest national championship. Apex understands the important role IDPA plays in providing gun owners with a safe, friendly opportunity to hone their gun handling and shooting skills, and we are looking forward to the inaugural Smith & Wesson Back Up Gun Nationals.” said Scott Folk of Apex.

The Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals will feature 13-stage course of fire with a round count of 180. Held on the indoor ranges of the Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, match officials expect the event to draw upwards of 200 top IDPA shooters vying for titles in either the Pistol or Revolver division.

Registration for the match has begun and just a handful of slots are still available for those interested in competing. Registration is being conducted online at MatchReg.com/BUG.

For more information on IDPA, the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals or to join the more than 22,000 members competing each week all across America, visit www.IDPA.com.

BERRYVILLE, Ark. – The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry, continues its overall mission to promote the shooting sports in America with sponsorship of the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals taking place November 14-16, 2013.

Officials with the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) announced that as part of NSSF’s sponsorship the organization will host the awards banquet taking place Saturday evening, November 16.

“NSSF understands better than anyone else the vital role competitive shooting plays in recruiting new gun owners and educating them on safe, responsible firearms ownership. They also understand the importance of recognizing excellence in the sport and have graciously offered to host our awards banquet where we will celebrate the accomplishments of all those competing,” said Joyce Wilson, executive director of IDPA.

"IDPA remains one of the fastest-growing shooting sports in America, and NSSF is committed to helping the sport continue its record growth," said Chris Dolnack, NSSF senior vice president and chief marketing officer. "Best of luck to everyone competing at this inaugural event!"

The Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals will feature 13 stages with a round count of 180. Held on the indoor ranges of the Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, match officials expect the new championship event to draw upwards of 200 top IDPA shooters vying for titles in either the Pistol or Revolver division.

Registration for the match has begun and a handful of slots are still available for those interested in competing. Registration is being conducted online at MatchReg.com/BUG.

For more information on IDPA, the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals or to join the more than 22,000 members competing each week all across America, visit www.IDPA.com.

About National Shooting Sports Foundation: The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 7,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen's organizations and publishers.

BERRYVILLE, Ark. – The International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) and Smith & Wesson announced that Brian Steskla has been named Match Director of the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals to take place in Springfield, Mass. November 14-16, 2013.

Smith & Wesson, which for the past 16 years has organized, sponsored and hosted the IDPA Indoor National Championship, is the driving force behind the launch of this new national level championship that will also be held on the indoor ranges of the Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center. Upwards of 200 top IDPA shooters are expected to compete for the new national champion title in either the Pistol or Revolver division.

“I am honored to have been selected by IDPA and Smith & Wesson to take the reins of IDPA’s newest national championship event,” said Brian Steskla. “As a sport based on concealed carry scenarios, there is a great demand among IDPA shooters for an opportunity to test their skills with the back up gun. I’m looking forward to working with a talented team of safety officers to put together the kind of exciting and challenging championship course of fire that shooters have come to expect from a Smith & Wesson event.”

Steskla, who is a 17-year veteran of law enforcement in the state of Connecticut, and an NRA certified Handgun/Shotgun Law Enforcement Instructor, brings more than 8 years of experience as an IDPA competitor and five years as an IDPA Safety Officer to his role as Match Director.

“Brian is an excellent choice for Match Director and his experience as both a competitor and a Safety Officer at numerous competitions gives him excellent insight into what makes for a good match. Not only does his selection bode well for this inaugural national championship but it also reflects Smith & Wesson’s commitment to helping IDPA develop top flight match staff,” said Joyce Wilson, executive director for IDPA.

The Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals will feature 13 stages with a round count of 180. Registration has begun and a few slots are still available for those interested in competing. Registration is being conducted online at MatchReg.com/BUG.

For more information on IDPA, the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals or to join the more than 22,000 members competing each week all across America, visit www.IDPA.com.

BERRYVILLE, Ark. – The International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) announced that open registration for the first ever Smith & Wesson Back Up Gun Nationals will take place tomorrow, Thursday, August 1, starting at noon eastern time.

Based on the small, subcompact pistols and revolvers used for concealed carry and personal defense, the Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals will be a fully sanctioned championship consisting of shooting strings utilizing a maximum of five rounds and stages made up of one or more shooting strings with multiple starts allowing competitors to reload off the clock.

The inaugural Smith & Wesson Back Up Gun Nationals will take place November 14-16, 2013, and will be held on the indoor ranges of the Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Competitors will compete in either the Pistol or Revolver division.

The competition is open to any current IDPA member. To register, go to MatchReg.com/BUG starting at noon eastern time on Thursday, August 1. To select a classification, IDPA members should use their highest classification in the three pistol divisions (CDP, ESP, SSP) or the two revolver divisions (ESR, SSR).

An earlier registration period has been offered to a select group of pre-qualified shooters based on their top performance in the 2012 IDPA U.S. National Championship and the 2013 Smith & Wesson IDPA Indoor National Championship. These pre-qualified slots are not transferable and any slot not taken will be available for the general, open registration which is conducted on a first come, first served basis.

For more information on IDPA, the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals or to join the more than 22,000 members competing each week all across America, visit www.IDPA.com.

BERRYVILLE, Ark. – The International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) and Smith & Wesson announced that the 161-year-old legendary American firearms maker will be the title sponsor of IDPA’s first ever Back Up Gun Nationals to take place November 14-16, 2013.

Smith & Wesson, which for the past 16 years has organized, sponsored and hosted the IDPA Indoor National Championship, is again leading the way as the driving force behind the organization of this new national level championship that will also be held at the Smith & Wesson Shooting Sports Center in Springfield, Massachusetts.

“With the huge increase in concealed carry permits, the demand for the subcompact handgun has grown exponentially, yet the back up gun has seen limited use in competition. That ends this year as IDPA is pleased to once more partner with Smith & Wesson to bring our members a new national championship designed specifically for the back up gun,” said Joyce Wilson, executive director for IDPA.

Based on the small, subcompact pistols and revolvers used for concealed carry and personal defense, the Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals will be a fully sanctioned championship consisting of shooting strings utilizing a maximum of five rounds and stages made up of one or more shooting strings with multiple starts allowing competitors to reload off the clock.

“Smith & Wesson is honored to bring IDPA members the first ever Back Up Gun Nationals. For 16 years Smith & Wesson has helped grow the sport, and the new Back Up Gun National Championship represents our ongoing commitment to expanding the shooting sports,” said Paul Pluff of Smith & Wesson.

The inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals is expected to draw upwards of 200 top IDPA shooters to compete for the title of national champion in either the Pistol or Revolver division. The registration process for the new championship event is expected to be announced later this spring.

For more information on IDPA, the inaugural Smith & Wesson IDPA Back Up Gun Nationals or to get started in this fun and exciting defensive pistol shooting sport, visit www.IDPA.com. You can also follow @OfficialIDPA on Twitter, like ShootIDPA on Facebook, watch IDPA TV, or check out the Down Zero Blog to keep up with the latest news.

About Smith & Wesson: Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC) is a U.S.-based leader in firearm manufacturing and design, delivering a broad portfolio of quality firearms, related products and training to the consumer, law enforcement, and military markets. The company's brands include Smith & Wesson®, M&P® and Thompson/Center Arms(TM). Smith & Wesson facilities are located in Massachusetts and Maine. For more information on Smith & Wesson, call (800) 331-0852 or log on to www.smith-wesson.com.